Alchemy: Secrets of the Philosopher's Stone

2002 Calendar. Alchemy is often thought of as an early form of science and a forerunner of chemistry with mystical and spiritual components. Its students sought to transmute lead to gold, cure diseases, prolong life and perhaps even achieve immortality by uncovering the philosopher's stone. The gold they sought to render was not merely a source of wealth but a metaphor for spiritual purity. Adam McLean has for over thirty years, been one of the world's leading scholars on alchemy and the hermetic tradition. He has numerous books in print and was for many years editor of the Hermetic Journal. It is from his art collection and his vast store of knowledge that these images and quotes were collected. Obscure yet influential, these alchemical mandalas offer windows into the workings of the soul.